Rambling Thoughts

I'm hoping that today's non-stress test was my final one. Perhaps by next Wednesday I'll have the baby! She passed with flying colors again although she was sleeping at first. They have to have elevated heart rates brought about by movement so they use a vibrator. It scared her good and woke her up fast. She's still a good mover which I enjoy.

One of my labs from this morning came back already and it's normal. The other one is the notoriously high one so here's hoping it's normal too. If so, they'll let me go a little longer past my due date.

I think she has dropped in the last day. All of a sudden I really can't bend over hardly at all and even sitting requires that my legs are far to the sides to accommodate the bulging belly. Desmond and I went to the zoo today so I'm hoping three hours of walking will also help get things going. As of yesterday I was 0/0 on the cervix. Surprisingly I felt just fine after all that walking.

I can't wait to see what she looks like! The last week is the hardest on my patience. I'm definitely in the "Maybe it will be today!" mode. If she's anything like Desmond, though, I'll have a good two days from the time contractions start until she is born. I'm ready, little one. I even have my birth plan done and we finalized her name last night. I have a feeling it will be next week sometime though I wish it was this week.

Hospital Tour

Yesterday we toured Southwest Washington Medical Center to see what the Family Birthing Center was like. It seems more real seeing where she'll be born. I kept thinking, "I'll be back here next week to actually give birth!" I got my admission paperwork all filled out so we're ready to go.

The main difference from Kaiser Sunnyside is that at Southwest you stay in the same room the whole time. The facility is smaller overall, though I think the individual rooms are bigger, and the waiting areas are off the same hallways as the rooms. At Sunnyside the waiting area, delivery rooms, and recovery rooms are all separate. I like that all the rooms at Southwest overlook a garden or green area, too. It feels a little more homey.

I need to write up a birth plan and Davin and I need to officially finalize her name, but other than that everything is ready. I even finished up some more dinners for the freezer today. I'm hoping she'll come in the next six days so I don't have to deal with more cesarean conversations. We'll see!

Some Improvement

Wednesday I had another non-stress test and lab work done. For the first time in a month one of my liver function results came back in the normal range and the other was still high but lower than before. Yeay! Also I don't think I've had a headache the last two days. Okay I did notice a very slight one last night while I was grocery shopping but in comparison it's like not having one at all.

I stopped taking my asprin on Monday because the doctor has told me this is the worst of my medications for breastfeeding and it takes about two weeks to get out of my system completely. I've been on it to reduce my stroke risk which was really low when I was in a-fib and my heart has been beating normally so I don't think the tiny (if any) benefit is worth breastfeeding it to my baby. I can't help but wonder if going off of that has helped my overworked liver.

It's so strange to think that in a matter of days we'll have a daughter! I still can't wrap my mind around it. I feel like I'll just go on being pregnant, and it's strange answering inquisitive strangers that I'm due in a week. I've been having a few intense dreams this week about my water breaking, contractions and heading to the hospital. Then I wake up disappointed that labor hasn't started yet. I remember having these kinds of dreams earlier with Desmond.

Monday we have a hospital tour at Southwest Washington Medical Center. We'll get my admission paperwork done and see how things run here. I wonder what labor and delivery will be like? I'm not set on any particular series of events and feel much more ready to go with the flow. I'm not the one in control anyway!

38 Weeks and Waiting

Today Dr. Wright and I discussed where I'm at and the plan for the next few weeks. My second urine collection turned out okay, and last week's blood work showed my liver function high, but holding steady. My daily headaches have been a bit better the last few days. I've stopped taking Tylenol and the headaches follow the same pattern so might as well cut out what medication I can. With everything kind of holding steady we're just going to wait it out. The doctor did say if my weekly labs show an upward trend in high liver functions or I have any other worsening symptoms they'd get me in for a cesarean.

So far my cervix is not favorable for an induction. Nothing is happening yet - understandably so. It's only the beginning of week 38. (It's strange to me that the doctor could reach in there and just barely feel the baby's head - the first one to touch the baby - sort of.) They don't want me to go past week 40, and there will be a lower threshold for fast forwarding me to a cesarean even if I do go into labor on my own. I'm starting to feel that's the way it's going to end up. I imagine next week we'll schedule something for the 40th week just in case I don't go into labor by then.

Tomorrow is the final ultrasound. I'm curious how big they estimate the baby is. That's another factor in leaning toward a cesarean or not. I'm guessing I'm just one that "cooks 'em big and cooks 'em long" as Davin said. The next 14 days will tell.

Two weeks will go by fast, I'm sure... I hope! I'm feeling impatient. I want to keep the house in order, and I need to stock up on some food for both us and the family guests that will be coming in. After the baby is here everyone's going to be on their own for awhile. I'm a Martha so I'm trying to remind myself of that. Family is coming to help, not be looked after.

Side note: We went on a one mile family walk yesterday evening and I'm sore today! Wow, I have a lot of work to do this summer. Then again, I am carrying around a full term baby.

Full Term!

This is my 37th week and I'm now considered "full term." Hurray! I feel ready for this baby to come. I'm tired of being pregnant though really it's not all bad. I know from experience the new challenges that come with a newborn. Still I'm feeling impatient, and I hope to be off my heart medication with delivery. Also I'm hoping my daily recurring headaches go away. Yesterday's five hour headache wore me out and made me really cranky, but thankfully I was able to nap through most of today's.

I had another non-stress test today and baby passed with flying colors. My blood pressure was still really good and my pulse was a low 64 which is unusual for pregnancy, but thanks to my medication it keeps things low. A perinatologist was reviewing my chart during my test so I was able to hear his input. Basically they think the high liver function could be due to my medication, but they want to test my blood weekly now and may look at different medications for me. I don't really want to switch to something new with just over two weeks to go. The perinatologist also doesn't want me going over 40 weeks so they'll be on my case if this baby is looking late.

I'm going to do my second 24-hr urine collection this week. Fun, fun! They're looking for protein which could point to preeclampsia, and I guess last week's collection scored a 279 (300 is too high) so they want to check it again. Just know that orange jug in the fridge isn't juice!

Today's Check Up

I had my 36 week check up today. Baby still looks great. Dr. Wright talked to me about my chances for a successful VBAC and according to the calculator they use, I have about a 48% chance of a successful VBAC. Hmm. She said that's right on the edge of whether or not they suggest trying for one, but at this point it's still a go for a vaginal birth. Generous estimates put the baby at about 9 lbs 3 oz at birth. Another big baby! She said if I don't follow the normal "labor curve" though, they'd suggest a cesarean earlier on in labor. We'll just have to wait and see. At least I feel emotionally and mentally prepared for another cesarean if it turns out that way.

We talked again about my headaches and liver tests. Dr. Wright doesn't think I have preeclampsia because I only have elevated liver function, but my blood pressure and platelet counts are normal and if I had preeclampsia they wouldn't be. Still they took more blood today to run the tests again. Also she said the headaches associated with preeclampsia are not helped by Tylenol and mine ease up with it so that's a good thing.

36 Weeks Then and Now

It’s fun to compare my belly now with how it was with Desmond.  It almost looks like my belly was bigger then, but maybe it’s how I’m standing.  That reminds me – the other day at my 34 week check up I lost 2 pounds from the previous check up.  I know I have to keep growing, but it made me feel good to weigh less.  It’s hard to get out of the mindset of losing weight = good.  I’m curious to see how much I weigh at tomorrow’s check up.

Today I’m 36 weeks exactly.  I have another headache for the 12th day in a row.  Yes, it’s getting old!  It comes on fast like clockwork around 10am and it takes the Tylenol about an hour to ease the pain.  I’m really curious to find out what the doctor says tomorrow.  I’m feeling a little paranoid about everything being okay.  I keep checking for her movement and when I don’t feel anything for awhile I try to wake her up.  Every time I do kick counts, though, I always make it to 10 well before an hour is up so everything must be fine.

We have a busy week this week: tomorrow is my 36 week check up, Wednesday I have another non-stress test, Thursday is MOMS Group, and Friday all of Davin’s parents are arriving to attend his black belt ceremony on Saturday.  Everyone will be staying at our house through Sunday which will be fun, but that means I have a lot of cleaning to do this week.  I’m looking forward to Desmond getting some grandparent time and having some fresh energy to play with.  Hopefully the grandparents are ready for that!

Preeclampsia?

I’ve had a bad headache for the last ten days.  I thought it was just due to being sick, but I’m finally getting better now and the headache is still persisting.  I tend to write this kind of stuff off, but I’m starting to wonder if something could be wrong.  I’ve never had a headache like this before.  Usually I feel okay first thing in the morning (as long as I slept well) but then a few hours later I feel it starting and within about half an hour I’m dying.  All I can think about is my head and I have to take three Tylenol (two doesn’t really do anything) and lay down until it kicks in.  It doesn’t always get rid of the headache completely, but it makes it manageable.

I also got back my liver test results in the mail.  My OB doctor told me some of the results were elevated, but it really hit me to see the high numbers on paper.  Some of them were about twice as high as the upper limit should have been.  They tested me on the 23rd and again on the 25th.  Dr. Wright said Wednesday at my non-stress test that the second round was still elevated but not as much so she thinks things are headed down back to normal.  Still they’ll probably test me again this week to see what’s happening now.

Liver problems along with a persistent headache can be signs of preeclampsia.  There’s usually high blood pressure too but my heart medication is keeping my blood pressure down.  Preeclampsia can be dangerous for the mother (affecting major organs) and baby (affecting the placenta) and the only way to “cure” preeclampsia is to deliver the baby. 

There’s no point in worrying about all the what-ifs because we’ll just have to wait and see.  Part of me would like to have her here early, but I know it’s better for her to grow inside for another four weeks.  All the non-stress tests show that she is still doing great so far.  If she does need to come early at least we’re at 36 weeks in a couple days.

My next check up is on Tuesday so we’ll see what the doctor is saying then. 

Lilac Nursery

 

My parents came up last weekend and helped me paint the nursery.  It only took us about three hours.  Amazing what extra hands can do!  The name of the paint is “Sassy Lilac” and it turned out really pretty.  I also sewed the curtains yesterday.  They’re purple with butterflies on them. 

It’s been fun pulling out all the baby stuff.  The dresser is stocked with diapers, burp clothes, crib sheets, and tiny pink clothes.  I like opening the drawers and just looking at them.  Desmond has enjoyed helping me unpack and set up the baby stuff.  It brings back so many memories of bringing him home.  The other day we put together the swing, and Desmond loves all the different music settings.  I wonder how much of this he really understands. Life is about to change!  It feels much more real having a girly nursery all ready and waiting.